Program Overview

The City of Tallahassee’s Graffiti to Mural Program is a creative approach to addressing graffiti through alternative artistic interventions. Experience around the world has shown that public art can be an effective way to combat graffiti and blight while beautifying the community and creating a sense of place. Murals provide unique art that speaks to the community, tells the history, and reflects the culture of varied neighborhoods. Through the Graffiti to Mural Program, the City proudly collaborates with local artists, neighborhoods, and volunteers to proactively prevent graffiti and transform frequently tagged walls into murals. Join us in this collaborative effort leveraging the power of public art to beautify our city, honor our heritage, and create vibrant, safe, and welcoming spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Graffiti to Mural Program Artist Roster Call Description

The City is seeking local artists for inclusion on an Artist Roster for future Graffiti to Mural projects. This Call is for muralists who live or work in Tallahassee. Approved artists will be invited to apply for opportunities to paint new murals through the Graffiti to Mural Program. Artists will be selected based on the best fit for each new mural project, its location, surrounding environment, audience, and local context.

This Call may be publicly re-advertised periodically to give new artists a chance to apply for inclusion on the Artist Roster.

Eligibility

The call is open to any visual artists who: 

• Are 18 years of age or older
• Live or work in Tallahassee
• Have successfully completed at least one outdoor public mural

Timeline *Dates are subject to change:

September 2025 - Call to Artists goes public
October 2025 - Call to Artists deadline
November 2025 - Notifications are made to all applicants

Following notification regarding roster status, approved artists will be invited to apply for opportunities to paint new murals through the Graffiti to Mural Program.

Budget

Each mural project will receive a budget allocation based on the mural's size, ease of accessibility, and other relevant factors. The budget for each mural will be commensurate with the size and scope of the project. The payment to the artist will cover all aspects necessary for the artist to complete the mural installation, including, but not limited to, design, materials, fabrication, artist fees, equipment, and any other associated costs.

Additional Considerations for the Graffiti to Mural Program

• Proposed murals must be unique and original works designed and created by the artist.
• Murals are intended to be installed permanently outdoors and directly applied to the identified wall surface, which could vary in texture and condition.
• Murals will be owned and maintained by the City. The City, in its sole discretion and without any notification to the Artist, may remove the mural.
• The artist retains all rights of copyright but will not make any copies of the work in any medium.
• The artist will grant permission to the City to create reproductions of the mural for non-commercial purposes, including but not limited to public information, educational resources, media publicity, and catalogues or similar publications.
• The artist shall work within a specific timeline for completion of each mural project to be set prior to the start of installation.
• Mural installations must meet all current applicable codes.
• Murals must fit within the specified dimensions of the identified location.
• Mural subject matter must be suitable for a diverse public viewing audience.
• The surface of the mural site will be pressure-washed and primed by the City in preparation for mural installation. Any significant condition concerns may be addressed and repaired by the City, at its sole discretion, prior to mural installation.
• Murals must be made of materials suitable for permanent installation and not require substantial, ongoing maintenance. They must be completed to high industry standards and be durable enough to withstand potentially severe and hazardous weather, including tropical activity and high winds, over a long period of time without requiring extensive maintenance. UV-resistant materials should be used.
• The artwork must be able to withstand touching by the unsupervised public.
• Murals should be designed to discourage vandalism and must take into consideration the area surrounding the piece.
• Murals must include anti-graffiti coating, which will be applied by the City. 

Project Point of Contact
Earnest Burden, Special Project Coordinator
Earnest.Burden@talgov.com               
850-891-6586

Artist Submission Requirements (fields for application, file size restriction of 1MB max.)

Eligible artists are invited to submit a single application for the Artist Roster. There is no application fee.

• Artist contact information - First name, last name, email, preferred artist name, company/organization, website, phone, date of birth, mailing address, optional social handles/URLs.
• Artist statement - Up to 300 words that explain your interest in working with the City and how your art will be able to contribute to the Graffiti to Mural Program
• Current professional resume/CV, with emphasis on public art experience. For full consideration, your submitted resume/CV MUST include at least one successfully completed outdoor public mural.
• Work Samples - Up to three (3) images of previous, successful public artworks with a brief description of each, including title, location, commissioning agency, and total budget. Acceptable file formats are JPG, PNG, GIF, or PDF.
• References - List at least 2 professional references you’ve worked with directly on an outdoor public mural project.
• Support Materials (optional) - Each artist may include up to 2 selections of support materials such as reviews, news articles, web links, and other related information.

Selection

The Selection Committee is comprised of City staff members and may also include area art professionals with expertise in public art design, fabrication, and installation.

Artist Roster applicants will be evaluated based on their qualifications, experience, artistic ability, technical skills, and past work.

The Committee reserves the right to reject any application and stop the selection process at any time.

If selected, approved artists will:

• Be added to the City’s Graffiti to Mural Program Artist Roster.
• Be invited to submit future Graffiti to Mural Program proposals for review by the selection committee.
• Work within a fixed budget and timeline.
• Present to the public, the selection committee, City Commission, or other audience, if requested.
• Register as a City-approved vendor.
• Agree to the contract, as written.
• Adhere to state/local requirements such as contractor licenses, insurance, and permitting requirements.